GREENE STREET LETTERS: December 23, 2011

Friday, December 23, 2011

December 23, 2011

Sitting here in my office at Rapha, I look out into the compound yard and see men preparing to leave for Christmas pass. Clothes piled high (yes, they even take home their dirty clothes for mom to wash), suitcases stacked and ready to be loaded. Parents, wives and others are here to pick up a loved one to take them home for the holidays. There has been and continues to be prayer covering every one this holiday season. Prayer that they will have a Christmas unlike any they've had in a long time. Prayer that every one returns safely. It is Christmas here at Rapha.

This is my 14th Christmas here at Rapha, and I can truly say that I never tire of all the activity that goes on here. Each year has been different with surprises and wonderful glimpses of God at work in the lives of those who come through here. Now until Christmas afternoon, my phone will ring with calls from those who are out there. Some will be doing well and call just to catch me up on what's going on. Some will not be doing so well and they will call to throw out a lifeline in order to just make it through the holiday's. But we will survive and live to be clean and sober another day.

I love all the trappings of Christmas....
Trees...
Presents....
Lights.....
Music....
But it is the human connection between people that I hold most dear.
First and foremost, the connection of my family. I am blessed beyond measure when it comes to my family. I am grateful to God for who my sons are and for my daughters and my grand children.
I am blessed to be married to the most wonderful woman in the world. God truly has made us one in His sight.

Those I work with at Rapha. The best! Each day is a new adventure and I praise God that it isn't a job, but a calling. Strengthen us for 2012 and give us wisdom to take care of those You have placed under our care.

I am humbled by the cross and the Christ who hung there for my sin and for the sin of the world.
As much as I love Christmas and the manger..........it only leads to the cross. Praise God it didn't stop there but continues on to a tomb where a stone has been rolled away.

So thank you, Lord for allowing me one more year.
One more Christmas....
Merry Christmas from the Bynum's
Michael & Vicki

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Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Friday, December 23, 2011

December 23, 2011

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD